Thompson on Hollywood

Weinstein Co. Green Lights 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' Sequel with Michelle Yeoh

News

Without Ang Lee or Sony, the Weinstein Company is starting production on a sequel to the Oscar-winning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which earned six Oscar nominations including best picture and grossed $213.5 million worldwide. Its $128 million stateside gross made it the highest grossing foreign-language film in American history. The Weinsteins have done well in the past with such Asian films as "Hero" and "Iron Monkey," which was directed by famed martial arts choreographer and director director Yuen Wo Ping, who will direct a returning Michelle Yeoh and star Donnie Yen (Silent Wolf) in the "Crouching Tiger" sequel.

By Anne Thompson
|
May 16, 2013 4:56 PM
|
1 Comment

More:

Tim Burton Could Be Back on Track With Artist Biopic 'Big Eyes,' Starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz

News

Tim Burton is on board to direct his next film, "Big Eyes," which will star Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams as Margaret and Walter Keane, whose paintings of big-eyed children were a mass-market phenomenon in the 1950s and '60s. Burton himself uses a similar big, dark-eyed aesthetic in both his animated films and the makeup design in his live-action films.

By Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
|
April 3, 2013 1:04 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

Jennifer Lawrence and David O. Russell Reteam for Terrio's 'The Ends of the Earth'

News

Oscar worlds collide as Jennifer Lawrence reteams with "Silver Linings Playbook" director David O. Russell for "The Ends of the Earth," a fact-based original penned by Oscar-nominated "Argo" screenwriter Chris Terrio. It's an American epic--with a "Django"-scale TWC budget-- centering on Ernest Marland, an oil tycoon who loses everything when caught in a scandalous affair (like General Petraeus?). The Weinstein Company has finalized worldwide rights to the film.

By Beth Hanna
|
February 20, 2013 12:20 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

Weinsteins Face Challenging Oscar 'Playbook'

Awards

The Weinsteins have long followed the same Oscar playbook: line up a thick stack of Oscar-worthy potential contenders, give them a shot and see what sticks. They're usually pretty sharp about what's going to play with Academy voters. Nobody does it better. But this year things may not be panning out as they had planned. The studios have mounted an arsenal of powerful players for the fourth quarter that have been eating into the indie share of the adult audience.

By Anne Thompson
|
November 28, 2012 6:00 AM
|
2 Comments

More:

Trailer Watch: Stylish, Vivid Martial Arts Epic 'Wu Xia' from Peter Chan

Video

Peter Ho-Sun Chan's martial arts epic "Wu Xia" received glowing reviews out of Cannes in May and, following its domestic release in China this past summer, is dropkicking its way to VOD on October 26, and to US theaters next month. The film stars Donnie Yen and Takeshi Kaneshiro. Trailer below.

By Beth Hanna
|
October 17, 2012 3:35 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

Casting Watch: McGregor Joins Streep and Roberts in 'August: Osage County'

News

Ewan McGregor is joining the cast of John Wells' "August: Osage County," with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts already onboard. The Weinstein Co. film is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by Tracy Letts.

By Beth Hanna
|
September 12, 2012 5:44 PM
|
1 Comment

More:

Arthouse Audit: Massive Opening for "Moonrise Kingdom" Shows that Festivals Matter (UPDATED 4 DAY FIGURES)

Box Office

"Moonrise Kingdom" opened with some of the best platform grosses ever, even adjusting for inflation, but it isn't the only good news out there. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" had a terrific expansion, while the massive international hit "Intouchables" had a lesser, if still encouraging, NY/LA opening.

By Tom Brueggemann
|
May 28, 2012 5:36 PM
|
4 Comments

More:

Cannes Market: The Weinstein Co. Continues Its Torrid Buying Pace

Festivals

The Weinstein Company acquired the U.S. rights to a political documentary on the fall of Gaddafi: 'The Oath of Tobruk.' Directed by French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, the film covers the eight-month conflict that put an end to Muammar Gaddafi's reign in LIbya.

By Anne Thompson
|
May 18, 2012 10:30 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

'The Intouchables' Wins Unprecedented Top Two Prizes at COL-COA

Festivals

At the City of Lights, City of Angels (COL-COA) festival in LA, "The Intouchables" won the two top prizes, the COL-COA Audience Award and the Critics Special Prize. This two-honor coup is unprecedented in the festival's history.

By Maggie Lange
|
April 25, 2012 9:50 AM
|
0 Comments

More:

Netflix and Weinsteins Strike First Streaming Deal, Including Likely Oscar-Winner 'The Artist'

News

It won’t be long before likely Oscar-winner “The Artist” will silently grace your instant queue. Yes, Netflix and The Weinstein Company have established a streaming deal.